Don't Cry For Me Carrots
by ComicConDetox
Summary: Nick Wilde is an officer at ZPD and he loves working with Judy Hopps. However when his past catches up to him and someone tries to hurt him, Nick runs away to keep her safe. Now Nick is looking for help from his old partner in crime while trying to keep Judy out of danger. Judy however is not looking to give up on her friend. May change to T later on.
1. Finally Promoted

Disclaimer: I do not own Zootopia

Hope you enjoy~ Aron

* * *

Chapter One:

Nick Wilde was seated in the cafe waiting for Judy to come in. They always met in the morning before work. Today was special though; Judy was being promoted to a detective. A few minutes passed before Judy appeared, her uniform looked neater than usual which was shocking to Nick. He didn't know that she could be cleaner than she already was.

"You're looking sharp," Nick said.

"Thanks, I had it dry-cleaned," Judy said.

"Your ears or your uniform?" Nick asked.

Judy laughed and gave him a friendly punch on the arm.

"Are we going to order?"

"Sure."

They walked up to the counter and both ordered coffees. Before Judy could take out her wallet Nick shook his head.

"My treat, Detective."

Judy smiled at the sound of her new title. She nodded her head and allowed him to pay. They then got their drinks and left. Judy loved driving which was also good for Nick. He had more time to relax. Even though he loved being a police officer, he also missed working on his own schedule. Nick used to wake up whenever he felt like it and did whatever hustle him and Finnick decided to do. He missed his old partner-in-crime. Ever since Nick decided to become a police officer Finnick refused to speak to him. It hurt Nick to know that Finnick thought he was a fox-traitor. His friend didn't understand though. Nick wanted this, he was sick of being the criminal. Thanks to Judy, Nick was able to change his ways and she helped him get into the academy even though his past wasn't clean. He wasn't even sure what Judy did; she refused to tell him the details. All he knew was that if it wasn't for her, he would still be a criminal. Hell, he would probably be in jail by now.

The two of them arrived at the office and made their way to the ceremony. Judy couldn't stop fidgeting.

"You good Carrots?" he asked her.

"Yeah. I'm just really excited. This has always been a dream of mine."

"I know. You mention it all the time. Go on in, you deserve it."

Judy suddenly hugged him, pushing her face into his chest.

He patted her on the back trying not to make a large scene at the office. Even though things were better some of their coworkers did not think that a rabbit and a fox should be on a police force, let alone partners.

"Ready?"

"Of course," she said. Judy took a deep breath and walked in.

All of their colleagues were seated already except for the other three that would be getting their detective badges. They then went their separate ways, Nick in the audience and Judy to the stage. Nick walked up to the third aisle and sat in his assigned seat. A large amount of disappointment hit him when he noticed that Detective Vorson seated in front of him. He couldn't see anything. Nick stood up but it was still useless. All he could see was Vorsons back. Why they decided to place a rhinoceros in front of a fox was beyond him yet that was the situation he was in.

"What's wrong Wilde? Need a booster seat?" Officer Moosejaw asked.

"Har har," Nick said to his coworker. Him and Judy were the smallest police officers on the entire force. They normally could share a seat and still have room while in the office. Nick managed to find a small spot to see just enough of the stage. He watched as Captain Bogo came up and began to give a speech. Luckily for all of them, Bogo got straight to the point. He then announced the names of the new detectives. When Judy's name was called Nick cheered the loudest. He could hear Clawhauser cheering a few aisles behind him. Judy was standing there with a proud look on her face. She was trying to act taller than she really was. The new badge was placed on her chest and the other officers cheered for her. Judy then took her seat and Nick stopped paying attention. He wanted to go back on the streets and solve a crime. A few more minutes passed and Bogo finished. The ceremony was over. It was time to get back to work. Nick hopped up from his seat and followed his colleagues out of the large room.

Nick met up with Judy and they walked together to the office. He could feel her pride as she walked with him.

"How much did you see?" she asked.

"I saw Bogo's ear for a few seconds and then I was able to see you get your badge."

"Awesome. That's a lot more than I thought you would see," she said.

Out on the streets that day, Nick and Judy arrested two mice and a ferret for creating blackouts in Little Rodentia. It was an easy case and the two were finished an hour early.

"Are you going to take the Detectives exam?" Judy asked while driving back to the precinct.

Nick shrugged. "I haven't really thought about it," he lied.

He had thought about it, he was just afraid. Nick was not as smart as Judy and he knew that the test would be challenging for him. He didn't want to embarrass himself by failing a simple exam. Besides, he liked where he was. Less paperwork.

"You should. You would be good at it," she said.

"I'll think about it. Just no promises okay."

"Deal."

At the precinct, Nick changed out of his uniform and punched out for the day. He said his goodbyes to Judy and made his way home. The subway was delayed and it took Nick an extra hour to make it back to his apartment. He overheard two workers saying that the subway would not operate tomorrow.

Nick pulled out his phone and texted Judy.

 _Subway not working. Pick me up tomorrow?_

 _Sure. See ya then!_ Judy texted a few minutes later.

 _Thanks._

When he finally arrived home, Nick went to his window and stared at the full moon. He could hear the soft howls of the wolves by the waterfall. Every full moon made the wolves decide to have a party. Nick remembered that he had gone to one once and stole a car from the leader of the pack. Nick smiled at the memories and wondered what type of heist he would be doing if he didn't meet Judy. He would probably still be doing Pawpsicles with Finnick but he wasn't sure.

Nick stayed up for a few hours watching television and listening to the Howling. At around three-in-the-morning he began to feel tired. He changed into an undershirt and shorts and curled up into bed. He placed his tail around his nose and eyes to cover himself from the chill in the air. Within a few minutes he was asleep.

* * *

Nick awoke a few hours later to his entire body shaking. He couldn't stop. He could feel a moist patch on his pillow and realized that he had been drooling. Something wasn't right. He pushed the covers off of him and stood up. His legs gave out on him and he immediately fell to the ground. Nick laid on the ground and began to shiver. His entire body was cold. He should call an ambulance. Nick left his phone on his desk but he noticed that it was gone. He could barely move. A rush of nausea flooded over him and he threw up his dinner on his carpet. Nick wiped his mouth but even that was an effort. Before he could even cry out for help he felt weak again and darkness took over.

He could hear the Howling end.


	2. Something isn't Right

Disclaimer: I do not own Zootopia or the characters. This is fan fiction after all :)

* * *

"Stop leaving dry grass everywhere!"

"Then where do you expect me to put it?"

"I don't know- maybe somewhere where I am not stepping on it!"

"Guys please lower it a little," Judy groaned, her voice still full with sleep.

"No!," they yelled simultaneously. The arguing continued.

Judy sighed and placed her pillow over her ears. She had grown to love her cramped apartment and her neighbors yet she still wished that the walls were thicker. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, Judy decided to just get up. She went to her refrigerator, took out some homegrown carrots and chowed down on them in big bites. She then got dressed and looked in the mirror. Her detective badge shown brightly as the sun came in through the window. Judy felt pride rush over her small frame again when she looked at it. All she needed now was to convince Nick that he should apply as well. She knew had the skill but Nick something was holding him back. Maybe should could talk to him about it again today. Judy grabbed her phone from its charger and scrolled to his name in her contacts

 _On my way_ , she texted.

* * *

She made her way to Nick's apartment. Nick lived about twenty minutes away from Judy yet thanks to traffic it normally took forty minutes. Nick's apartment was larger then hers but it was more rundown. The entire district he lived in was. It was mostly populated by foxes and filled to the brim with crime. Nick would often make jokes about it though. "No one in their right mind would give a fox a job, let alone a good paying one." As Judy drove through, she kept staring at the fox cubs playing soccer in a parking lot. She smiled at them and waved. They didn't wave back.

Judy parallel parked in front of Nick's apartment complex. She sat in her car and checked her messages. He didn't text back. She tried calling. His phone went straight to voicemail. _Strange_ , Judy thought. Nick loved his phone and was usually playing games on it or taking selfies. _That dumb fox probably forgot to charge it_ , she thought to herself. Judy decided to get out of her car and get him.

Nick lived on the sixth floor and there wasn't a working elevator. Judy didn't mind though. She loved using her legs. Judy walked inside and hopped up to the sixth floor. She made her way to Nicks room, 626D. Before she could even knock, Judy noticed that the door was slightly ajar. Right then she felt something in her spine. She slowly pushed the door open and didn't see her friend. A strange smell hit her nose once she was inside. It was sour like something rotted or died.

"Nick?" she called out. "You ready?"

Nick's apartment was quite literally a foxhole. Clothes littered the floor, dishes spilled from his sink, posters covered his walls. The main one was of a design that he had come up when he was younger - an indoor amusement park called Wild Times. She remembered them talking about it one night a few weeks ago while on having dinner after a long day at work.

"My main attraction would be a roller coaster but - get this - I 'd call it...a Roar-a-coaster." He said impressed with his cleverness.

Judy laughed at him. "That's actually pretty cute."

"Cute?!" He groaned in mock dismay. "No way, Carrots. This would have been a bonafide predatorial playground"

"Still sounds pretty adorable."

He groaned again and did a face-palm.

She looked up at the image and smiled. She was a bunny and she knew cute when she saw it.

 _"Grr..."_

Judy's ears perked up the noise snapping her back into reality. She turned around to see Nick on all fours. He was looking at her but his green eyes were now cold, lifeless, and savage. Judy could tell that something was wrong.

"Nick what are you doing?" she asked stepping backward. Nick growled and bared his teeth. His lips were moist from drool. Judy noticed that the sour smell was coming from him.

"Nick can you hear me?" she asked him.

There was no answer. Nick began to crouch down and moved closer. Judy grabbed her taser from her belt but she was too late. He leapt forward, clumsy in his movements, and bit into her left foot. His teeth slowly sunk deeper into her skin. Judy cried out in pain. She reached for her taser and brought to his chest.

He yelped and let go of her. He lifted himself back up like he was possessed and got ready for another attack. Before he could lunge at her Judy thrusted the taser once more into his chest and he fell to the ground unconscious.

Judy stared at him and saw her blood on his muzzle. She didn't understand what had just happened. With paws shaking, Judy placed cuffs on her best friend.

"I'm doing this for you."

She could feel heat radiating off of him but he shivered intensely. His eyes were shut tight. She grabbed her walkie-talkie from her belt.

"Ben I need an ambulance at 13th and Night-fang drive. Something is wrong with Nick," Judy cried out.

"An ambulance is on their way," Clawhauser said through the walkie-talkie.

Judy stood up and shook some blood off of her foot. She limped into Nick's bedroom. The room was a mess but not like the apartment. This room was simply unhygienic. There was a puddle of vomit on the floor. It smelt just like Nick. She stood on the tips of her feet, skirted around it and grabbed a blanket off his bed. She went back to where Nick laid. He wouldn't stop shaking. Judy wrapped him in the blanket and sat down beside him. Her foot was beginning to throb. She could hear an ambulance in the distance and knew that it was for them.

She placed a paw on his warm forehead.

"It'll be okay Nick."

* * *

Judy felt the needle pierce her foot over and over again and the tightening of each stitch the antelope had made but her mind couldn't focus on the pain. As soon as Nick and Judy arrived at the hospital they were separated but everyone made sure to heavily sedate Nick once Judy told the paramedics what happened. Judy could only think back to the look on Nick's face. He had looked savage just like those who had been infected with Night Howler all those months ago. There was something different though. Unlike the predators who were infected with Night Howler, Nick was sick. He had a fever and was vomiting. Judy knew that it wasn't Night Howler. It had to be something else.

"You're that bunny who's on the ZPD, right? The one everyone is always talking about?"

The antelope's, Dr. Stampede, question broke through Judy's thought. He stared at her with a curiosity and confusion.

"Yea. I guess that's me," she said through a weak smile.

"Huh."

The doctor's surprise was something Judy has gotten used to. The citizens of Zootopia may have heard of a rabbit cop but it was another thing to see it with their own eyes.

Doctor Stampede placed a bandage on her and shook his head. "A fox did this to you? Typical. All of them criminals." There was disdain in his voice. The kind that Judy detested.

"First off, that _fox_ is a respected police officer, my partner and best friend and what he's done to me is far from typical and even if you didn't know that, you still should know better," Judy said strictly. The last thing she needed today was bigotry. Her good foot was bouncing up and down with a mix of anxiety and annoyance.

"Ms. Hopps, I just-"

"It's Detective Hopps," she corrected him.

"Right."

The doctor finished up. He handed Judy a pair of crutches and told her to stay off of her foot for a few days.

"Am I done?" she asked.

"Yes," he told her.

"Good. Now where is Nick?"

* * *

Wild Times and the Roar-a-coaster are also from the book about the art of Zootopia.

reviews are also nice :)


	3. Hospital Visit

Disclaimer: Don't own Zootopia.

Enjoy~ Aron

* * *

Chapter Three:

"How is he?" Judy asked as the doctor appeared. She was a young lion named Doctor Clawstein.

"He has a burn mark on his chest from the taser and no other injuries. He has a high fever though and is vomiting a lot. The fever is making him delusional which is probably why he attacked you. We ran his blood for Night Howler like you originally asked and like we suspected there is none in his system," Doctor Clawstein explained.

"So what is it?"

"Foxglove. It's a deadly poison and by the looks of it he was infected by breathing it in. Since you were in his apartment, we want to give you a small dose of the antidote just in case. Officer Wilde was given the antidote and we will be monitoring him over the next few days. He will still have some of the symptoms but that is just until the medicine kicks in."

"Like what?"

"Vomiting, drooling weakness and tremors seem to bothering him the most."

"How did he get foxglove?" Judy wondered out loud.

"Does he have any enemies?" Clawstein asked.

Judy nodded her head. At any other time Judy would have laughed at the amount of enemies that Nick had. She couldn't think of any who wanted to kill him though.

"Have your staff keep an eye out for any suspicious activity. I will have an officer guard him until we figure out more," Judy decided. She would do whatever it took to protect her friend.

"There is one other thing," Clawstein began. "Any predator who acts aggressive must be placed under a seventy-two hour protection hold. This means that he is going to be restrained and have a muzzle on."

"No! Nick hates muzzles!" Judy protested.

"I am truly sorry. We don't have a choice though. Officer Wilde bit you and he attacked one of my nurses. Until he is no longer a danger to himself and others we have no choice."

As much as Judy hated it, she had to agree. Judy knew that Nick would never forgive himself if he hurt someone. She hoped that he would understand it wasn't his fault that he bit her. Someone drugged him.

"Can I see him?" Judy asked.

"Yes of course. He is agitated but I think that seeing a friend might help calm him down."

Judy picked up her crutches and began to follow Doctor Clawstein to Nicks room.

Judy stopped in the doorway and stared at her friend lying in the bed. He was restrained and even worse, a muzzle was placed over his mouth. Judy moved towards her friend as quickly as possible when she saw his condition and held his paw. Nick turned to face her and growled. He felt warm from the fever and Judy refused to let go.

"Nick it's going to be okay," she told him in a calming voice.

Nick shook his head and struggled against the restraints.

"Please just look at me," Judy said her voice cracking from emotion.

Nick did as she said and Judy gripped onto his paw tighter. His arms kept shaking every few seconds. "It's going to be okay," she told him again.

Nick leaned his head down and she noticed that he was looking at her foot. Judy realized that he must have been remembering what he did to her. Regret filled the fox's eyes as he stared at her. His ears were tilted back with shame.

"I am fine," Judy said to him, her voice stern. She wanted Nick to understand that she did not blame him. She was not afraid of him.

"Do you know anyone who would want to hurt you?" she asked.

Nick shook his head quickly.

"Okay. I'm going to find who did this to you," Judy promised him. She always kept her promises, this was something that Nick knew.

Nick nodded and then he closed his eyes. His body began to relax and his paw went limp in hers. Judy almost panicked but then she realized that he had fallen asleep.

Even though Nick was unconscious, Judy stayed with him. The doctor had come back and gave her the antidote just in case she had been infected with foxglove. As she watched him sleep Judy couldn't help but feel emotional for her friend. The tremors were the worst. Even while unconscious, Nick's frame would shake every now and then. She hoped that this wouldn't last long.

Judy began to think back to Nick's apartment. She wondered if anything was different. She had been there a few weeks ago and it was a mess then as well. There was something different this time but she couldn't quite put her paw on it. Judy wanted to go back to his place and investigate but she also wanted to stay with her friend. He would need her when he would wake up again. Nick was almost killed a few hours ago and now he was living in his worst nightmare. The red fox was terrified of muzzles and now there was one plastered on his face.

Judy couldn't even imagine what it must be like for him. Every time a mammal walked past Nicks room, Judy reached for her tranquilizer just in case. Paranoia was seeped in her small frame as she stayed by her friend. She didn't want him to get hurt ever again and yet they were cops. Judy knew that even though Nick had her back and she had his, they would sometimes get hurt. It was apart of the job. That however did not mean that either of them had to like it.

* * *

Bogo was in the elevator squished between a lion and an ox. He waited until the elevator reached the fourth floor and then got off. He found a nurse and asked where his newest officer was. Afterwards Bogo walked into the hospital room and saw Judy sitting beside their newest police officer. Her foot was in a bandage and she had crutches leaning against the wall. Nick was asleep in the bed and Judy was staring at the muzzle around his face. "Its on him for his protection," he reminded her suddenly making his presence known. Judy looked up and grabbed her crutches.

"Let's go outside so he can rest," she said softly.

The two made their way outside into the hallway.

"What happened today Hopps?" Bogo asked her.

"I went to his apartment and he was acting strange. He was on all fours and he didn't recognize me. The doctor says that he was poisoned."

"Detective Francine and Officer McHorn are on the scene right now with our forensics team. If they find anything, they will contact us. Officer Moosejaw will be here soon for the protection detail."

Judy felt reassured by the plan of having Moosejaw on protection detail. He was a strong police officer and he would be able to protect him.

"Thank you sir," Judy said.

"Oh and Hopps, you're on desk duty for now," Bogo told her.

"What? No! Sir I need to be out there helping find who did this," Judy protested.

"Come on Hopps, you can barely walk. Look at surveillance tapes and take statements from witnesses. Ask Wilde if he remembers anything about the attack. Just do what you can until your foot heals."

Judy did not fully agree with her captain but she had to follow his orders.

"Yes sir," Judy said in defeat.

"Oh and Hopps, if I catch you in the field I will have you suspended," Bogo threatened.

"I understand," she said as Bogo left her alone in the hallway.

* * *

Reviews are always welcome.


	4. Who is he really?

Don't own Zootopia.

Enjoy~Aron

* * *

Chapter Four:

Detective Francine walked up the stairs to Nick Wilde's apartment, her heavy feet causing each step to creak. She pushed her way past the door and wondered how foxes could live in suck cramped spaces. If one ever appeared in her house, they would think it was a mansion. Entering her coworkers room, Francine couldn't get past the smell of sickness. The forensic's had already finished their jobs and now it was up to her to find out if there was a break in.

"Did anyone find his phone?" Francine asked. She knew that the fox was always on his device when he wasn't at work.

"It wasn't recovered on scene. Perp must have taken it," McHorn said from the bedroom.

"We can track it at the station," she said while looking around the living room. As the officers searched Nick's apartment, they found nothing. Whoever attacked him didn't leave a single trace. There were also no witnesses who saw what happened. They would have to wait for Nick to wake up and give his statement.

"Hey Francine look," McHorn called from the kitchen area. He was holding up a small photograph. She walked closer and saw that it had a paw shaped popsicle on it along with the word "Pawpsicles!" plastered on the top in a large font.

"What about it?" she asked. "I remember that this used to be a scam. A couple of foxes would steal jumbo pops and make em into popsicles and then sell em to the smaller folk down at Little Rodentia," McHorn explained.

"It's just popsicles. Who cares?" Francine asked. They had bigger crimes to solve.

"Yeah but why would Wilde have this at his place?" McHorn asked.

"I don't know. Maybe he bought some once."

"Or maybe he was behind it. Jumbeaux's Cafe and a bunch of others had been robbed. It may not seem like a lot but these business owners have lost a lot of money due to whoever has been committing these crimes."

Francine thought about it for a moment. What exactly did Nick do before becoming a police officer? She did not know a lot about the fox but she did know enough about their species. Many of foxes were criminals and it wouldn't be surprising if Nick had committed a crime when he was younger.

"Did we do a background check on Wilde before he joined?" she asked.

"Everyone is checked before they can even join the academy. Why?" McHorn asked.

"Do you really think that if Nick was a criminal he would be working at a police station? Chief Bogo would have put him in jail."

McHorn nodded his head and placed the photograph back on the refrigerator.

"I guess you've got a point."

"Good now lets go. And stop snooping in his stuff. You're going to damage something," she said while making her way to the front door.

Francine began to drive back to the police station yet she couldn't help but think about what McHorn had said. How much did they truly know about Nick?

* * *

At the office, Franci saw Judy sitting at her desk. There were crutches placed beside her that were so small, Franci could use them as a toothpick. Judy and Francine were two of the five female officers on the entire force. Franci remembered that it used to be awkward but once she showed that she was as tough as the guys, they trusted her more. Now all of them had each others backs. She didn't make Judy feel the same way at first but after the Night Howler case, Francine saw that Hopps truly did belong with the rest of them.

"Hey Hopps, how's the foot?" she asked.

Judy looked up and didn't even try to look cheerful.

"My foot is fine. I just need to stay off of it for a few days."

"Thats good. Is Nick feeling better? I heard that it was poison."

Judy nodded her head. "He's doing alright. Officer Moosejaw is guarding him right now."

"Are there any leads?" Judy asked suddenly.

"Not yet. Whoever attacked Nick is an expert. There wasn't a single trace."

"He doesn't seem to remember what happened but I think that if he rests some more it will come back to him."

Francine paused for a moment. She wasn't sure if it was the right time yet she wanted to know.

"You've been to his place before right?" she asked.

"Yes," Judy said wondering where this conversation was going.

"Do you know anything about Pawpsicles?"

Judy's ears immediately perked up at the question.

"Um yeah, Nick said that someone was handing out flyers in the area and he liked the design so he kept it. It's a cool photo right?" she said quickly. It didn't take a cop to know that Judy was nervous. She was tapping her paws and talking quicker which Franci had no idea was possible.

"They did look pretty good. Though I would never be able to eat those. It's just too small," Francine said trying to lighten the mood. Judy faked a laugh and then Franci left.

Francine sat down at her desk and opened up the Police Criminal Database. She took a deep breath and typed in Nicks name.

Francine printed out the material that she had found and placed it in a folder. She walked quickly to where McHorn was. The rhino was drinking coffee and joking with some coworkers by the lounge.

"Okay so what do you call a three humped camel?" McHorn asked with a large smile on his face.

"Oh come on McHorn, Wilde told that on his first day here. Find something new," Vorson complained.

"McHorn, can I speak to you?" Francine asked.

He looked at her and was about to deny her request but the look on her face said that he shouldn't. They made their way into the conference room where they could have privacy.

"Remember how you asked about Nicks past?" she asked quietly.

"It was three hours ago so yeah I do," he replied.

"Well I found something," she said handing him the file.

"I thought you said the popsicle scam was no big deal."

"Yeah but that is just the beginning. Open the file and see for yourself."

He did what she said and began to read the file. His eyes grew wide when he made it to the part that she did before.

"Holy cow," McHorn said with shock.

* * *

It isn't my favorite chapter but don't worry it all leads to something bigger then pawpsicles.

Francine and McHorn are from the movie but not much is known about them.

Vorson I came up with. He is a rhino.


	5. Wanted: Blurry Silhouette

Disclaimer: Don't own Zootopia

I made some edits to chapter four (added a little more stuff) this morning (3/21/16)

* * *

Chapter Five:

Nick Wilde felt as though his nose had been taken over by a rabbits. His nose was twisting the way that Judy's did when she caught onto a strange scent. Nick inhaled deeply and his insides were welcomed to a strange burning sensation. He coughed and opened his eyes. There was a medium sized creature above him but he couldn't tell who it was.

"What are you doing here?" Nick asked between coughs.

"Enjoy," said the mysterious mammal. Within a second the animal was gone. Nick wanted to chase after him but he began to feel tired. His nose itched and his insides burned. He unwillingly leaned back down onto his pillow and was unconscious again.

Nick's eyes shot wide open and he looked at his surroundings. Judging by the amount of bland white walls, Nick assumed a hospital. His jaw was sore and he realized that there was a muzzle attached to his face. Panic set in and he tried to take it off only to find that his paws were strapped down to the railing of the bed. Nick thrashed his arms and legs against the railing, trying to find a way out. He couldn't be here. There had to be a way for him to get out of this. Nick needed to get this muzzle off of his face. His heart rate had increased from fear and suddenly a nurse was in the room to check on him.

"Officer Wilde my name is Garrala. I am a nurse here. You are in the hospital being treated for foxglove poisoning."

"Untie me," Nick managed to say. The muzzle made it hard to speak. He couldn't move his jaw so he had to speak through gritted teeth.

"I'm sorry sir but I can't. You had aggressive behavior when you first came in. We cannot untie you just yet. I will have the doctor be in shortly."

Nick began to take deep breaths, his chest didn't burn anymore. _What did Garrala mean by 'aggressive behavior'?_ Nick wondered with a strange feeling. Why was he feeling guilty? He was then brought back to a memory of seeing something dangerous in his apartment. He wasn't sure what it was, Nick just knew that he had to attack it. He remembered tasting blood and then realized that what he bit was Judy. Guilt went through his entire body as the remembered what he had done. He attacked his best friend. He hurt her. _What am I going to say to her?_ Nick wondered.

As these thoughts raced through his head, Nick didn't notice the doctor come in.

"Officer Wilde, can you hear me?"

Nick looked up and saw a lion standing above him. "I am Doctor Clawstein. I am the one treating you," she said.

"How are you feeling?"

"Alright," Nick managed to say. The muzzle scraped against his nose as he spoke.

"You were poisoned with foxglove. We are treating you for it and most of the poison is out of your system. The reason why you are restrained is because you attacked your friend and tried to bite one of my nurses. Detective Hopps wants me to remind you that its not your fault and she is right. The fever made you delusional."

"Can you take it off?"

"I'm sorry but now yet. It's hospital policy that any aggressive predator must be muzzled for seventy-two hours. You have thirty-six more hours," she told him.

Nick laid his head down on the pillow in defeat.

"Can I get you anything?" she asked him.

Nick shook his head. She wouldn't be able to help him.

"Okay well I am going to see a different patient if you are okay with that. If you need anything just press the button by your left paw."

Nick nodded his head and waited for her to leave. When the door opened, he caught a glance of Moosejaw by the door. Was he still in danger?

* * *

A few hours passed before Nick heard the door open again. In came Judy and Nick couldn't help but stare at her foot. It was bandaged and she was in crutches.

"Hey Nick," Judy said while hopping towards her.

She jumped to the seat and pulled herself closer to the bed. Nick couldn't help but stare at her injured foot.

She noticed the guilt in his eyes. His ears were pulled back as well as he stared.

"Nick it's not your fault. I am okay and so are you."

"I still feel guilty," Nick said. "I am so sorry for hurting you."

Judy paused and then nodded her head.

"It's alright Nick. I forgive you," she told him.

* * *

They then stayed there in silence for a few minutes. Whenever Judy tried to bring up what happened he shook his head. Nick didn't want to talk about it right now. He was glad that Judy was safe and didn't hate him for what he did. He knew that it would take him longer to forgive himself.

Judy seemed to understand the need for some normalcy and she allowed it. She could tell that her friend was agitated from the state that he was in. His paws would shake every now and then but other then that the symptoms has left. Judy turned on the television and they watched Zootopian Idol.

"Damn that elephant shrew has an amazing voice," Judy said.

"Polo was my favorite," Nick said quietly.

Judy could tell that he did not like talking with the muzzle on. His voice was lower than usual and he made little sarcastic remarks.

"I never knew a polar bear could get their voice that high until she came on the show. Too bad she got voted off," Judy said.

They stayed watching in silence until the sun had set. A nurse then came in and told Judy that visiting hours were up and she had to leave.

"Bye Nick. I'll see you tomorrow okay," Judy said while grabbing her crutches.

"Bye," Nick said softly.

* * *

Judy propped her foot on a few pillows and leaned against the headboard. Her neighbors were out at dinner, which meant that for the first time in months it was quiet.

She was on her laptop, searching through surveillance tapes. She had gone over the tapes outside of Nicks apartment around a dozen times but it didn't hurt to look again. Nick said that he had gone to bed at around three-in-the-morning so the perp had to have gotten there afterwards. She searched angle through angle but didn't see anything.

Judy was about to give up when she saw a dim silhouette passing by Nicks window. She paused and zoomed in to the window. As she played it back Judy could see that whoever was in was a medium sized mammal. Probably a wolf or tiger, she guessed. The image was blurry so it was hard to see what the animal actually was. It was obvious though that it was not Nick. The silhouette was too large to be the red fox.

Judy took a screenshot of the window and the time. 4:26 in the morning. All she needed now was to identify who this animal was, why they hurt Nick and where were they. Judy then began to take notes on who was holding grudges against Nick and would then look to see if they compared to the size of the silhouette. So far none of them matched and she shut her laptop in frustration. Her foot was beginning to hurt yet it was better then the day before. She put her laptop on the ground and then wrapped herself in a blanket. Judy closed her eyes and was able to fall asleep before her neighbors came home.

* * *

An hour or two later, Judy awoke to the feeling that someone was watching her. She didn't open her eyes but instead lifted her ears and focused on the soft noise. It was breathing. Someone was in her apartment.

* * *

I hope you liked it.

Reviews are welcome.


	6. The Wolf of Savannah Central

Disclaimer: Don't own Zootopia.

Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter Six:

Judy practically held her breath as she listened to the intruder as he walked closer. She wondered if the animal was going to poison her the same as Nick. Judy carefully pulled her blanket over her face. The intruder stopped moving for a moment and then grew closer. Once the creature was close enough, Judy lunged at him, her small but sharp claws out to attack. She could feel her claws dig into his fur and skin. He growled at her and threw her across the room. Judy jumped up quickly adrenaline causing her to not feel the pain as her stitches ripped open. Judy looked at the wolf from across the room. He smiled and suddenly threw something down. The powder burst out and spread across the room. The moon shone through the window causing the deadly power to shine a beautiful purple. Judy barged out of the room and gasped for air. She ran over to her neighbors and banged on their door.

"Shut up!" Pronk screamed.

"This is police business! Open the door!" Judy yelled back. Her heart was racing with adrenaline.

A few seconds passed before Bucky opened the door. Pronk was right behind her wearing only shorts. He looked angry but it soon grew to concern when he saw the blood on the rabbits foot.

"Give me your phone," Judy ordered. He handed her his phone and Judy called 911.

"This is Detective Hopps from the ZPD. I have just been attacked in my apartment. The room is filled with most likely foxglove poison. The suspect is still at large. He is a grey wolf with blue eyes. He is also wearing a gas mask," Judy said to the operator.

"A unit is on their way Detective. Do you need an ambulance?" the operator asked with a squeaky voice.

"No I'm fine," Judy said. She had completely forgotten about her foot. Judy hung up the phone and handed it back to her neighbor.

She could hear the sirens and waited.

* * *

A few minutes passed before Chief Bogo and an unfamiliar police officer arrived on scene. He was a skunk in a bright yellow hazmat suit. "Hopps, what the bloody hell happened?" he asked anger masking the concern in his voice.

"The animal who attacked Nick is a wolf. He just came after me as well," Judy told him.

"We have officers in pursuit. I will get the call as soon as this lowlife is caught."

Judy nodded her head. Exhaustion flooded through her small frame.

"This is officer Pewtrigde, he is from the DEA and is here to figure out all he can about this poison. Until then lets get you to the hospital."

"Chief Bogo I told you I am fine," Judy protested. She needed to find this guy.

No Judy, you are bleeding all over your neighbors carpet."

Judy looked down at the blood completely unaware that it was there. She agreed with him after seeing the mess she had made on the floor.

* * *

Nick was staring at the television as The Real Mousewives of Lil' Rodentia when the door opened. Officer Raine entered the room, tilting his head slightly to the side to get his fuzzy antlers through the door. He had a cup of sap-covered moss in his hoof. He stared at Nick and took a bite from the cup.

"So your bunny friend got attacked," Raine said abruptly.

Nicks eyes grew wide with worry. He leaned up in the bed as far as the restraints would allow him.

"Is she—"

Raine cut Nick off mid-sentence by placing a hoof out in front of him. He continued chewing with his mouth open, the sap obnoxiously sticking moss to his teeth. Nick began to tap his claws against the railing, his ears tilting back with frustration.

"She's fine, for now," Raine said. "It's kind of surprising that's she's lasted so long on the force."

"She's a better cop than you'll ever be," Nick growled.

"Hmph yeah right. Well I'm gonna get a coffee," Raine said before leaving the room.

Once alone, Nick noticed that he was still growling. Raine was one of the cops who didn't want him or Judy on the force. Nick and everyone else on the force knew it. Nick hated that reindeer as well. The guy was rude and disgusting. Nick took a deep breath and began to calm himself down. He needed to know what happened to Judy. Raine was no help and he had no access to any information. Nick closed his eyes and hoped that his friend was all right. He needed her to be safe.

* * *

Judy made her way towards Nicks room with her newly bandaged foot. It was four-in-the-morning and Judy was exhausted. She had gone through one hell of a night. Judy noticed that an officer was not at the door. They are supposed to be protecting him! Judy thought with anger. She lifted her arms high above her head in order to open the door.

"Nick you're awake," she said. Her friend was agitated and Judy figured that he was told what happened.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his nose hitting the top of the muzzle.

She nodded her head. Judy hopped closer to him and jumped up on the edge of the bed. "I'm a little shaken up but I'm fine."

"Good. I'm glad you're okay," Nick told her.

Judy closed her eyes; her shoulders slouched with exhaustion.

"Get some rest Carrots," Nick told her.

"You get the muzzle off tomorrow right?" Judy asked.

"Yeah. It's been too long," Nick told her. He hesitated for a moment. "Judy, get some rest."

Judy looked up at him. He rarely called her by her real name and it normally meant he was being serious. She smiled slightly and moved herself to the chair on the other side of the room. She closed her eyes and reminded herself that they were safe. Nick was alive and so was she. They were both still here to fight another day.

The television was suddenly shut off and Judy fell asleep to the silence.

* * *

It was around six in the morning when Chief Bogo entered his office. His desk was covered in clutter and he knew that there would be more. Another one of his officers was attacked within the past three days. Something needed to be done about this. Bogo sat down and pulled up the surveillance tapes that Detective Hopps had told him about. He didn't even have time to focus on the images before there was a knock at the door.

"What?" Bogo barked out.

Francine opened the door and walked in. She had a file with her.

"Francine what are you doing here so early?" he asked.

"It's about Nick Wilde."

"He wasn't attacked again right?"

"No. He's fine. It's um," Francine hesitated.

"Spit it out," Bogo ordered. He didn't have time for this.

"You're going to want to read this," she said placing the file on his desk.

Bogo looked at her with curiosity and then opened the file.

* * *

Hope you guys enjoyed it. I also have changed Franci to Francine cause I finally figured out her name.

Also Raine is a character I made. He is a fat reindeer.


	7. Soup was Lame

Here is the next chapter. Please be patient with me and uploading these. It's been the last few weeks of this college semester and my grades come first. I would rather focus on that and then give a chapter instead of giving you guys a half-assed one.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer~ Don't own Zootopia

* * *

Nick sat impatiently in his bed while he waited for the doctor to remove the restraints. Clawstein gave him a once over and then smiled.

"You're ready," she said.

Nick leaned over and Clawstein unlocked the muzzle. He opened his mouth wide and began to rub his stiff jaw. _Never again,_ he thought.

"How are you feeling?" she asked "Like a million bucks," he said with a toothy wry grin. "And speaking of bucks, how much will this little stint cost me?". Clawstein chuckled a little and looked back at Nick who was only half joking.

"Oh well, you're a cop, right? So surely your insurance will cover it." The realization of having health care benefits as a part of having a respectable job finally dawned on him.

"Oh right. Insurance. That's a thing I have now."

Clawstein chuckled at his ignorance. "You're a funny one, Wilde. I like you"

He smiled back at her.

Clawstein finished chuckling and checked a few things off her clipboard.

"Well, you will stay here for a few more days but after that, you are free to go home."

 _Home,_ he thought. _That's the last place I want to be right now._

"Really? Wow, and I was just starting to get comfortable here, watching Real Mousewives 24/7 almost feels like the real thing."

Clawstein guffawed a bit, gave a little wave and pushed through the heavy hospital door. Nick watched her leave and soon as she was out of sight he collapsed into his bed. Being charming was something that usually came natural to him but now it seemed to be a bit more exhausting. Especially when too many things weighed on his mind.

The perp wasn't caught and Nick couldn't remember enough to know who attacked him. What bothered him more was why they went after Judy. His friend had explained that it was a grey wolf and that made Nick feel worse. He had had a lot of run-ins with a gang of grey wolves a few years back and they hated him. Nick knew that explaining this would help his case yet he also knew that would also mean confessing to his crimes. Crimes meant that the badge on his chest would be replaced with pawcuffs and a muzzle. Judy knew that he was a conman but she did not know about all he had done. And if he wanted it to keep it that way, Nick would need to figure this out on his own.

 _Tap, tap, tap._ Nick's ears perked up, looked into the direction of where he heard the sound and saw Judy tapping her crutches against the ground to get his attention. He did not even realize that she had entered his room.

"You were really lost in thought right then."

She hobbled her awy on her crutches towards Nick's bed. "

Mind telling me what you were thinking?"

"Carrots," he said with a smile. "Nice to see you hopping around."

"Nice to see you without the restraints," she said. Nick nodded his head and got up out of bed.

The hospital gown was rather large and he looked like a pup the way it draped over his legs.

"Wow that's a real good look on you!"Judy tittered. Nick looked down on himself and realized the ridiculousness of it all .

"Isn't it though? I think it's from the teenage elephant collection."

He posed with his arm outstretched like a trunk and made scrunched his face into an angsty grimace. Judy giggled and Nick smiled as she did. Somehow it sounded better coming from her than Clawstein. Like he could almost forgive himself.

"So, what are you doing?" she asked him.

"Absolutely nothing and I have been pretty good at it for the past three days," he stretched and yawned. "Carrots, I need to walk around. I know! Let's get something really crappy from the cafeteria. It'd be on me."

Judy wondered if it was alright since Nick was still recovering but he seemed determined to get out.

"Well, if it's on you..." Judy said.

* * *

Nick bought them both some soup from the hospital cafeteria and made their way to the picnic styled tables. Nick insisted on carrying hers as well and he walked slowly so he would not trip over the gown. Once they sat down Judy took her soup and began to eat.

"So, Carrots, how's the force without me?" he asked while eating.

"Pretty boring," Judy chuckled. "It's alright. Definitely more peaceful. Francine has been a little jumpy around me for some reason."

" We've been working on your case but there aren't many leads." Judy paused and looked up at him.

"Oh really?" he asked. His ears twitched back.

"Yeah." She began to swirl the thick soup with her plastic spoon. "So... you sure you don't remember who did this to you?"

Nick looked down and shook his head. "I was asleep," he mumbled.

He was getting defensive, Judy noticed. She had to push harder. "Nick," She kept her eyes locked on him. "I know that you had committed crimes in the past and I promised I wouldn't look into them."

"Yes and I am happy that you have kept that promise."

"And I _will_ keep that promise." She stopped swirling the soup. "But does this have anything to do with it?"

Nick hunched his back more over his meal. "I don't know."

Judy leaned in towards him. "Are you sure? Not even an inkling? Because if you're afraid of getting in trouble-"

Nick slammed his fist down on the table and the soup splashed onto the red and white checkered tablecloth.

"I don't know, okay? Can you please just stop talking about it and enjoy the soup I have graciously bought for you?" he yelled.

His words echoed in the very empty cafeteria with the exception of An elderly goat and his pig nurse who stared at him. Judy could hear the desperation in his voice.

She decided to change the subject, "How _is_ the soup?"

Nick exhaled and sat himself down, "Eat it and find out," He mumbled as a sly smile crept across his face.

They remained seated across from each other eating in silence. Small talk felt awkward. Judy couldn't just act like everything was fine. Both of them had been attacked and she knew that something was wrong. She knew Nick was hiding something.

* * *

After they ate, they went back up to Nick's room to see Captain Bogo standing outside with Francine by his side. Bogo looked disappointed for some reason and Francine did not look pleased at seeing either of them.

"Captain what are you doing here?" Judy asked him. She could tell that something was wrong.

"He came to make sure his token officers are still alive," Nick whispered to her.

Bogo walked closer to Nick until he was towering over him. "Nicholas P. Wilde, you are under arrest."


End file.
